The High King's Prize
by Snow Whitex Prince Charming
Summary: Peter returns to his wife only to find he must win her over again. Basically Prince Caspian Never happened
1. Chapter 1

_King Peter the Magnificent was frustrated nothing was going right today first he'd missed seeing Edmund off to Archenland because he'd over slept, and now his counsel was demanding to know when he would produce an heir. He and his wife had really been trying it just hadn't happened yet. Peter collapsed on the bed he shared with his wife it'd been a bad day_

_"Peter?" His beautiful wife entered the room Peter could tell she was worried because she was idly twirling a lock of her ebony hair around her index finger a trait he loved her for._

_"Yes Darling?" Peter sat up so he could see his beautiful Queen Tara better she wore a floor length midnight blue dress that made the steel blue eyes seem more striking and complimented her pale skin and dark hair wonderfully_

_"What happened?" She asked he knew what she meant but didn't want to worry her_

_"Nothing Darling just a long day." He said she sat next to him_

_"Peter Pevensie I know you better than that what happened?" His wife scolded him how had he been so lucky?_

_"They want us to produce an heir" he sighed Tara paled_

_"I'll do better" she said Peter flinched remembering his wife's horrible childhood. Tara had spent her whole life trying to please her mother a woman that couldn't be pleased and now she was trying to please him._

_"Tara no, I'm happy" he said_

_"I can do so much better I promise!" Tara said franticly_

_"Tara" he took her hands in his_

_"You can do no better, you're perfect love." Tara shook her head_

_"I want to make you happy"_

_"I am happy we're still young really there's no rush." Peter said Tara nodded_

_"I love you." She whispered_

_"I love you too," he said kissing her forehead lovingly._

* * *

Peter sat up right instantly looking around his small bedroom in Finchley for his wife. She wasn't there Peter sighed rubbing his face

"Oh Tara" he muttered before climbing out of bed and getting down on his knees

"Oh Aslan" he prayed

"Please send me back to her I miss her so."

Meanwhile in Narnia it's lone queen sat up in bed

"Peter!" She called out on instinct only to be left in silence. The Narnian queen let out a sob

"Oh Peter come back to me!" She prayed before going back to sleep.

Back in Finchley Peter had drifted off too not noticing the golden lion appearing in his room. Aslan moved forward on silent pads breathing lightly on Peter he watched the boy vanish knowing where he'd reappear.

* * *

Tara's eyes fluttered open as dawn was breaking in Narnia the rosy pinks and brilliant oranges soothed her she shifted and noticed she wasn't alone instinctively she jumped out of bed and grabbed he husband's sword gripping the hilt like Peter had taught her she swung it at the intruder

"Woah!" The intruder cried falling off the bed with a resounding thud

"Who are you!" Tara snapped

"Please I'm unarmed!" The stranger cried as Tara took the striking stance that would deliver a death blow suddenly a scream came from outside and the doors to her chambers flew open Queen Lucy came running in

"Stop! Stop! Oh Tara please stop!" She begged her sister-in-law at the sight of her long lost sister-in-law Tara looked at the intruder who'd managed to stand up for the first time.

"Peter?"

"Tara?" They stared at each other

"You're alive?"

"Oh for Aslan's sake Tara! Drop the sword before you shish kabob my brother and get over there!" Lucy cried the sword fell to the floor with a loud clatter and Tara rushed forward into Peter's arms.

"Peter!" They heard two voices call as Susan and Edmund entered the room

"Where the hell are we!" Susan demanded

"For the last time Su we're in Narnia!" Edmund cried

"That's impossible Narnia isn't real you made it up!" Susan yelled storming out Lucy, and Edmund went off to find old friends Tara turned to her husband

"It's about time you came home!" She cried

"I didn't mean to leave you."

"I was twenty-seven I've been ruling alone for two years!"

"Tara I'm so sorry we were hunting the stag and it just happened! I would never willingly leave you."

"Well it made sense to everyone else! Leave the queen that couldn't bare you a heir!" Tara shook her head and picked up Peter's sword and handed it to him.

"Welcome home High King Peter." she said before grabbing some clothes changing and then storming out of the room slamming the door behind her.

Peter's heart broke Tara regarded him with a coldness he'd only seen in the white witch

"She has every right to be angry," Peter reminded himself he had left her alone for two years no goodbye, no explanation Peter sighed changing into some of his old clothes and going after her. He found her in the stables with her Mare Morgana not thinking of anything better to say he said the first thing that came to his mind

"I'll get you back in the end." She glared at him before mounting up

"I'd like to see you try Peter Pevensie!"

"Is that a challenge?" He asked hopefully

"Maybe" Tara said before kicking her horse into a full gallop Peter raced after her

"Well then challenged accepted! I'll win you back I always do!" He yelled after her _let the games begin _he thought.

_**Please Reveiw I saw the play version of Narnia and the kid who played Peter totally stole me from Caspian I LOVE PETER!**_


	2. Chapter 2

Tara wasn't really mad at Peter no not really she was hurt he'd left her that would take years to heal from, but she was more relieved he was alive.

"Tara!" Edmund galloped up next to her Edmund the Just the level headed (to a point) one

"He's crazy!" Tara said

"Who?"

"Your brother, he's convinced he can win me back!"

"Can he?" Edmund asked she thought for a moment

"I don't know…" She admitted

"Well from what the servants tell me there's a ball coming up." Edmund said

"Yes the ball that celebrates the end of the long winter." Tara smiled

"And if memory serves me right you and Peter met at that ball." Tara stopped short

* * *

_Music filled the air as Princess Tara of the Western Islands danced with the Tisroc of Calormen. The man was drunk and Tara was trying to hide her disgust_

"_Excuse me but may I cut in?" Someone asked, yes! Tara thought the Tisroc slurred something to the stranger but handed her over to the stranger_

"_Thank you, you saved me." She said once the Tisroc was out of earshot_

"_He is a horrid man when he's drunk." The stranger agreed_

"_Yes very horrid I hope Papa won't marry me off to him" Tara said_

"_Fair skinned beauty like you doesn't belong in the desert" the stranger said Tara blushed_

"_I'm Princess Tara of the Western Islands" she introduced herself thinking how her mother would frown at her boldness._

"_High King Peter of Narnia" the man told her_

"_It's a pleasure to meet you your Majesty." Tara smiled_

"_As it is you Princess" Peter replied._

* * *

"That was the happiest night of my life." Tara said

"It was Peter's too." Edmund told her Tara looked at Edmund and smiled

"Thank you Ed"

"Anything to keep you from going home." Edmund said

"I wouldn't run" Tara said

"Are you sure?" Ed asked

"No!"

"Good, because Peter would hunt you down."

"He can try" Tara said dryly as she and Edmund dismounted

"And if he doesn't succeed he's got Lucy for back up" Edmund said as the young queen came up to them.

_**Ok I love this chapter the memory was my favorite part please reveiw and stay tooned for Lu and Tara's talk. ;-)**_


	3. Chapter 3

"We need to talk" Lucy said

"Ok but I have to put Morgana away first" Tara said trying to stall

"I'll take her," Edmund said taking Morgana's reins from her and heading inside the stables she glared after him

"May I start by reminding you your husband is a complete idiot!" Lucy said

"And also that you love him despite his many faults and stupidity." She said

"He hurt me"

"I know…"

"I'm a disgrace I'm not allowed to visit my home country! Half of Narnia thinks I'm a fraud. And everyone thinks he left me because I didn't bare him a child!" Tara cried

"But you know that's not true! Right?" Lucy asked

"Sometimes I have my doubts" Tara sighed

"So what you're just going to let him play this out and win your hand again? Because that's what he's planning on doing!" Lucy demanded

"Peter can do what he likes all I know is that Susan's acting crazy, Ed's fiancée got married last spring, you're own fiancée is in the north fighting giants and my husband is crazy enough to believe I would forgive him in the twenty minutes it took to walk from my room to the stable!" Tara cried frustrated

"Tristan joined the army?" Lucy said shocked Tara instantly regretted what she'd said

"Lu I'm so sorry."

* * *

"He promised me he'd stay out of the army!" Lucy said

"We needed solders" Tara said Lucy nodded sadly

"Remind me to kill him when he gets home." Lucy said Tara nodded and headed to go change before the ball

"Your husband's an idiot!" Lucy yelled after

"I know he is!" Tara yelled back.

Peter was chatting with the new king of Archenland when his wife made her entrance she wore a red floor length gown and her dark hair was curled hanging down around her face a crown the female version of Peter's rested on her head she looked every inch a queen.

"Beautiful, you're a lucky man King Peter" the king of Archenland said

"I was" Peter mumbled

"What was that you're Majesty?"

"I sure am." Peter lied not wanting to let the King of Archenland know how weak his marriage really was.

"Tell me where is your fair sister Queen Susan?" The king asked

"She will not be joining us tonight complained of a headache earlier and has retired to her chambers." Peter lied it sounded better than, she thinks 'she's dreaming and refuses to spend time with us.'

"That's a shame, I fancied a dance with her but if she's ill then it's no matter." The Archenlander said before moving on to some Narnian lords. _Always after Susan_ Peter thought he did admit his sister was beautiful but she did not have heart, not like Tara if she even had a quarter of the heart Tara had she probably would have been married long ago. In this time the new Tisroc of Calormen had snapped up Tara just like the night they'd met _how appropriate _Peter thought because if he knew anything about Tisrocs they all were horrid drunks and his wife _hated _drunks. He could tell by the look on her face she was struggling to hide her disgust. He smiled before walking up to the dancing pair

"Excuse me but may I cut in?" The Tisroc slurred something along the lines of

"Fine woman you got here King Peter." And walked away he took up his wife's hand and they began to dance again

"You're welcome."

"I didn't need saving" Tara snapped

"I beg to differ I thought you looked quite uncomfortable dancing with the Tisroc. He is a horrid man when he's drunk."

"I don't care what you thought Edmund told me your plan so you can cut the recreation act." Tara spat

"What plan?" Peter asked all too innocently.

"Don't play dumb with _me _Peter Pevensie you know exactly what I'm talking about!" Tara hissed

"All _I _know is there are leaders and dignitaries from all over the world here tonight and they're _all _watching us. Particularly Calormen." Peter whispered in her ear

"You think I don't know that, who do you think invited them you idiot?" Tara hissed

"All I'm saying is we can't let them see you hating me, just one night of marital bliss is all I ask then you can hate me again." Peter said knowing Tara couldn't deny the logic in his statement

"Fine. One night, _darling_."

"Less sarcasm and its perfect." Peter said as the dance ended.

* * *

After the ball Tara went to check on Susan.

"Susan?" Tara found her reading a letter

"What's that?"

"A old love letter Peter said to give it to you if you stopped by to talk." Susan said handing her the letter Tara started to read:

_**My Dearest Tara,**_

_** I know you think love letters are frivolous and a waste of time unlike my sister who swoons each time she gets one. But I just have to write you I know times have been tough lately what with the council demanding an heir to the throne and all. But I love you no matter what happens you must know that. I write this in great haste because my siblings and I are going hunting for the White Stag shortly and I don't want to be late. I know you don't want me to go and it pains me to see you so unhappy but I promise the moment I get home I'll make it up to you somehow. For now guard my heart because I'm leaving it with you, I apologize for the pain I'm causing you but I love you dearly.**_

_** All my love,**_

_** Peter**_

* * *

Tears sprang to the queen's eyes

"For a imaginary love letter in a imaginary world it's very well written." Susan said

"_This _was his _last _letter." Tara sniffled

"Why what happened?" Susan asked

"He never came home." Tara said before excusing herself and fleeing to the gardens.

_**Ok I know this chapter was one big guilt trip but hey my story, please Reveiw!**_


	4. Chapter 4

Tara wandered through the gardens mindlessly clutching Peter's love letter as if her life depended on it. She soon stumbled upon Lucy sitting on a bench writing by the full moon's light.

"Lu?"

"Oh Tara! Hi how's Susan?" Lucy asked

"She's fine... what are you doing?" Tara asked

"I'm writing a letter to Tristan he deserves to know I'm home." Lucy smiled she spotted Peter's letter

"A letter from Peter?" Tara nodded

"May I see? You can read mine." Tara handed her the old letter and took the one Lucy'd been writing it read:

_Dear Tristan, _

_I imagine you don't get many letters who would you write to I've been gone two years? I've thought of you every second of that time and miss you horribly come home safely my love._

_You're loving, _

_Lucy_

Lucy finished reading about the same time Tara did.

"Oh Tara" Lucy said sympathy in her eyes

"His last letter Lu, I can handle dancing and guilt trips from everyone but this... I need to see him Lu."

"He's in the stables," Lucy said hugging Tara

"Good luck" she whispered and with Peter's letter in hand Tara rushed to the stables. She moved through the aisle quietly some of the horses in their stalls nickered to her in greeting she soon found him in the hay loft she smiled to herself touched he remembered their meeting place

"Peter." He looked up his face lighting up with hope when he saw her.

"I got your letter," she told him as he stood up brushing some straw off his breeches.

"And?" He asked Tara smiled before launching herself into his arms and kissing him soundly.

"You romantic fool." She whispered against his lips as her arms went around his neck

"I suppose a I'm sorry won't do." He said

"No" she murmured deepening the kiss

"I have a lot of making it up to you to do." He smiled before spinning her around in a wide circle; they fell back into the straw laughing

"I remember spending whole afternoons up here just the two of us." Peter said as Tara laid her head on his chest

"Your siblings would always pester us about where we snuck off too." Tara laughed

"But we'd never tell, this was our place." Peter said kissing her forehead she snuggled closer to him as a cool breeze blew the stables her eyes began to close as she unwillingly drifted off.

* * *

"Peter!" Tara woke up tears streaming down her face silently cursing herself for not braking the habit in the two years he'd been gone.

"Tara are you alright?" The entire day came flooding back at the sound of his voice. Tara threw her arms around his neck

"I thought it was all a beautiful dream!" Tara whimpered recalling that it was only two years ago she'd woken up night after night from horrible nightmares long after the war with the giants and always finding such comfort in Peter.

"It's almost dawn Love" Peter said wiping the tears from her face

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have woke you." Tara blushed

"Nonsense I have two years of sleepless nights to make up for." The gentleness in his voice was enough to make her heart swell with a love she was sure would never die. She snuggled into Peter's chest relishing how his arms tightened around her she was safe. She was _home_.

_**Please Review!**_


	5. Chapter 5

Peter woke up his arms wrapped around his wife it puzzled him how just last night she'd been furious with him and now she was curled up in his arms like they'd never been apart. Tara's eyes opened letting him stare into her blue eyes.

"Good morning" He whispered softly

"Good morning" she smiled

"We should get up," he said after awhile

"We should but I don't want to" she murmured snuggling into his chest. He chuckled

"Want to or not we have to, we have a country to run" Peter said Tara groaned before getting up and dressing in a red floor length dress and black flats leaving her hair down and donning her crown her and Peter hurried down to breakfast

"Good morning!" Tara chirped Edmund groaned holding his head

"Sorry Ed" Tara whispered Lucy shot Tara a knowing smile just then the doors to the dinning hall burst open with a loud bang Edmund groaned in pain

"I should've stayed in bed"

"That or not drink until the hags looked beautiful." Lucy said

"Queen Lucy you've received a letter a servant said handing it to her

"It's from Tristan!" Lucy squealed Peter whispered in Tara's ear

"Let's go to our place after breakfast." Tara smiled her consent before quickly eating. Lucy handed Tara the brief letter written in Tristan's sloppy hand that read:

**_Dear Lucy,_**

**_Thank Aslan you are well, the war has been a long one and the urge to be home grows stronger._**

**_Love,_**

**_Tristan_**

Tara handed the letter back smiling and silently vowing to seek council about ending the war. Excusing herself her and Peter left hand in hand

"I told you they were back together give me your bacon Ed." They heard Lucy say as they left, when they reached their place Peter spun Tara around.

"Peter set me down!" Tara laughed as they toppled backwards into the straw,

"You're incorrigible you know that Peter Pevensie!" She cried but failed to hide her smile of joy

"Incorrigible huh?" Peter said as her started to kiss her neck

"You didn't think I was so incorrigible last night." Tara giggled

"In fact you said you never wanted me to stop." Peter whispered in a husky voice that sent a chill down Tara's spine. Peter captured her lips in a passionate kiss.

"My beautiful wife." Peter whispered against her lips Tara broke the kiss first

"Lets go riding" Peter suggested Tara beamed

"Race ya!" And with that the young couple raced off to tack up.

* * *

Thundering hooves could be heard throughout the Western Woods as two riders raced through the trees. Laughter could be heard as well as they entered Lantern Waste the makings of ivy in early spring climbed the lantern nearly smothering the internal light from within. The air caught in Tara's throat when she saw an injured deer laying a few feet away the laughter died as Tara and Peter swung from their steeds and found the deer dead. A Calormen arrow jutted from the deer's side.

"Those monsters!" Tara growled Peter frowned

"Calormen are just as conservative as Narnians why would they shoot something then leave it?"

"To prove a point"

"What? Tara what happened while I was gone?" Peter asked Tara shook her head

"It was a year after you left I still had hope you were alive, one day the Tisroc came for a visit he proposed we marry and I refused the point he's proving is that he'll kill anything or anyone that gets in his way. He wants me Peter." Tears were in her eyes by the time she finished

"He can't have you, come on we need to tell the others." Peter said removing the arrow before he and Tara galloped away.

_**Please Review!**_


	6. Chapter 6

"I say we fight!" Peter cried he was seeing red and wanted blood preferably the Tisroc's.

"Pete calm down and try to think rationally the Tisroc is a powerful man" Edmund said

"Who is threatening our people" Peter spat glad that Tara had been feeling ill and was not here to see this.

"We're already in one war" Lucy said Peter groaned collapsing back into his chair.

"I can't leave her unprotected but I can't punish the Tisroc for hitting on my wife!" Lucy looked at him sympathetically

"We'll figure something out Pete right now go be with your wife" Edmund said Peter nodded and hurried off to the room he shared with his wife. He found Tara sitting on their bed crying, dread built in Peter's stomach something had happened.

"Tara what happened love?" Tara sobbed as Peter sat next to her and cradled her in his arms.

"I can't stay here, I have to leave but I don't want to go! I want to stay here with you!" Tara sobbed

"What? You don't have to go anywhere Darling," Peter said as calmly as possible

"Yes I do, I- I'm pregnant!" Tara cried _after all these years now we have a baby._ Peter thought

"I can't have this baby here, not now!" Tara sobbed hugging her still flat stomach in fear,

"You aren't going anywhere," Peter told her firmly

"But the Tisroc-"

"Won't get anywhere near you I promise he'll pay dearly for his transgressions and this will end." Peter said

"Peter wartime is no time for a child, when word gets out the Tisroc will be furious he'll take out everyone I love and then our child." Tara said

"Then we tell no one not even my siblings, we move fast end this before you start to show. Everything's going to be fine." Peter said

"Promise?"

"Promise" Peter squeezed his wife's hand in comfort before the grin he could no longer hold back lit his face.

"We're having a baby I can't believe it!" Tara smiled

"And why now only Aslan knows." Peter nodded

"Only Aslan knows" Tara stifled a yawn and laid her head on Peter's shoulder.

"You should rest" Peter chuckled

"I should really discus strategy with your brother-" Tara protested

"Tara, it's not just you anymore" Peter chided Tara smiled sleepily

"You worry too much" she muttered as her eyelids drooped Peter chuckled softly

"That's kind of my job love." Tara soon dropped off and Peter seeked out his siblings in war room,

"We'll end the war, and launch the attack against the Tisroc." Peter said Lucy and Edmund gawked at him

"What?" Peter asked

"I'll flip you for a shot at the Tisroc." Said a familiar voice said Peter turned Susan stood in the door dressed in a forest green gown with her bow and arrow in hand. Susan was back.


	7. Chapter 7

In the following weeks Peter built up an army and procured weapons for their men one day a troop of knights marched into Cair Paravel. The royals were in the throne room relaxing when the captain of the guard came in. Lucy was the first to see him and nearly fainted

"Tristan!" She cried bringing all ten pairs of eyes to their guest.

"Your Majesties it is wonderful to see you've returned to us." Tristan said bowing after some polite talking the royals cleared out and left Lucy and her fiancée alone

"I ought to kill you!" Lucy said

"You promised me you'd stay out of the army!" Tristan looked the young queen in the eye

"You were missing did you really expect me to sit idly by?"

"So you ordered your own death sentence?" Lucy spat

"I didn't die Lu"

"But you could've Tristan that's the point!" Lucy cried

"I couldn't stand it if I lost you" Lucy said as Tristan gathered her in his arms and kissed her

"I know how you feel, I thought you were dead and when your letter came I scarcely believed it I don't think I truly believed until I came in and saw you here" Tristan said pressing their foreheads together

"Well if you're done snogging with my baby sister you have much to tell us my friend" Edmund said as he leaned nonchalantly against the doorframe Lucy shot her brother a glare while Tristan smiled at the youngest king.

"King Edmund a pleasure as always"

"What have you heard of Lady Dianabella?" Edmund asked

"She's married now to Lord Edward though is to bare him any children as of yet." Edmund uttered a low curse he had no favor for Lord Edward nor Edward him.

"If my sources are correct your brother has reached out to Lord Edward for knights" Tristan said

"That he has, even the most despicable, disagreeable, low life Lord can spare a few knights for his King." Edmund said Lucy rolled her eyes

"And they call you the Just King" she said Edmund ignored her

"Has he sent any?"

"Yes, he has divided his army in half sending you only one hundred of his men they should arrive within the fortnight."

"Combined with the four hundred my brother has rallied thus far that gives me some comfort." Edmund said dryly

"If only they'd hurry" and with that Edmund turned and left Lucy and the knight alone.

* * *

While all this was happening Tara and Susan where out in the gardens walking it was a nice day and the fresh air would do Tara a world of good.

"I'm glad your feeling better Peter says you've been ill" Susan said

"Not as glad as I that you've returned to us Susan, what made you come back to us?"

"Aslan appeared to me in a dream, at first I was afraid and begged his forgiveness and he forgave me and when I woke up it was as if I'd woken up after sleepwalking." Susan said Tara smiled she, Susan and Lucy had been close in the Golden Age so much so Peter and Edmund had taken to calling them the three Musketeers whatever that meant. She had missed her family in-law and for months after their disappearance she'd run into rooms because she swore she had heard Peter's voice or Lucy's laugh.

"Tara?" Susan's voice brought Tara out of her reverie

"Is everything ok?"

"I was just thinking about how everything used to be." Tara said

"We could have that again you know" Susan said

"It wouldn't be the same too much has changed" Tara said

"A Tisroc hitting on one of us is _not _new news Tara, one started a war over me remember?"

"I try to forget"

"Well I don't I remember, that's why I want to put an arrow through this Tisroc's heart or where his heart is supposed to be." Tara laughed

"You did your best these past two years Tara, you tried to keep everything together when it was all falling apart. I know it couldn't have been easy without Peter here you were alone, but I'm proud of you for what you've done." Susan said Tara smiled gratefully at her sister in-law, and almost fooled herself into thinking everything would be ok.

_**Tada! Yay Tristan's back! Please Review!**_


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